Mixed couples face citizenship woes<\/p>\n
Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Having a baby can be costly, but while Maya Miranda Ambarsari was
\nready to pay for the basics, she was unaware of the excessive
\ncomplexity that marks registering the birth of a baby born to a
\nmixed couple here.<\/p>\n
After recovering from the delivery of her son via caesarean
\nsection, Maya and her expatriate husband were shocked to find
\nbills and fines awaiting them, totaling Rp 15 million (US$1,630).<\/p>\n
"I didn't know that I had to notify several government
\ninstitutions within two weeks of the delivery of my baby to
\nobtain a birth certificate. Even the immigration office
\nacknowledges the lack of information available on the regulations
\nfor mixed-marriage couples," she said.<\/p>\n
Although the process of registering her son's birth was costly
\nand marked by red tape, her son was not given dual citizenship.<\/p>\n
"When he turns 18, if he is living abroad, he has to have a
\nsponsor to return home, even as a tourist," said the lawyer.<\/p>\n
Another woman, who is also married to a foreigner, opted to
\ntell officials her daughter was born out of wedlock, just to make
\nher an Indonesian citizen.<\/p>\n
Using the ius sanguinis (blood line) principle, Law No.
\n62\/1958 on citizenship -- which is now under revision --fails to
\nprotect mixed couples and their children.<\/p>\n
Any children of the marriage will automatically be given the
\nsame citizenship as their father and cannot enter national
\nschools but international schools, which are not available in
\nevery region and are comparatively expensive.<\/p>\n
In the draft revision of the law -- which is yet to be passed,
\nalthough it has been deliberated by the House of Representatives
\nfor almost two years -- new regulations have been added to
\nprevent dual citizenship.<\/p>\n
It states that an infant whose father is a foreigner and
\nmother is an Indonesian can obtain Indonesian citizenship if it
\nis the wish of their parents.<\/p>\n
The nationality of their children was a popular topic of
\nconversation among members of the Association of Indonesian Women
\nin Multinational Marriages (Srikandi), who celebrated the
\norganization's fourth anniversary on Sunday.<\/p>\n
Holding a Family Fun Day, dozens of mixed couples and their
\nchildren shared their experiences and problems due to the
\ncitizenship law, and elected Maya as their next chairwoman.<\/p>\n
"At present were are engaged in efforts to make the government
\nsee that these bilingual, bi-cultural children, who often study
\nabroad, are the country's assets. Why can't the government make
\nan exception for them?" Maya remarked.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/mixed-couples-face-citizenship-woes-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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